Palestine: A Modern History (ص 64)

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Palestine: A Modern History (ص 64)

المحتوى

134 The Lull: 1923-1929
the National Party ,and the Executive. Committee brought about a
meeting, between delegates from the two parties, but failed to create
national unity. An offer made by the leaders of the Muslim Christian
Association to the National Party to send five representatives to sit on
the Executive Committee, and also that its leader Sheikh Suleiman
al-Taji be appointed Vice-President of the Committee, in return forthe
dissolution of the National Party was rejected.'? No progress was made
in the reconciliation of the conflicting parties until the presence Of a
prominent foreign visitor reminded, them of their common interests.
an
Balfour's Visit
}
During the first two months of 1925, the,prospect of, Lord. Balfour’s
visit to Palestine, with: the object of opening the Hebrew University,
became the dominating political,topic.'* Numerous articles appeared in
the Press and several meetings were, held by the Executive, Committee
to decide upon a course of action during Balfour’s tour.,The Executive
Committee declared Balfour’s day of arrival a day of mourning and
called for a general strike throughout Palestine, on this occasion.
Fuythermore, a complete boycott: qf the British statesman,,who
epitomised the Anglo-Zionist convergence, was.to be obseryed through-
out his visit. ‘The Arabs see in Lord Balfour the personification of
British interest in Zionism and consider him not only the initiator but
the faithful supportet.of the policy’.'%
The day Lord, Balfour set, foot in PaJestine, a general strike (shops,
Schools, cabs et¢.,) was obseryed hy Muslims and Christians. throughout
Palestine. Black flags were raised and Falastin published a special
English edition. Khalil Sakakini, an educated Christian, delivered a
patriotic speech from the platform of the Haram-ash-Sharif, where
at ~
A motion, none.too politely phrased, inviting Lord Balfour to leave
the country which he had entered against the wishes.of the inhabi-
tants, was passed and, communicated through the District Governor
to the High Commissioner.?°
The only Palestinian Arabs who failed to observe Balfour’s boycott
were the Mayor of, Jerusalem and three officials in addition to few
Beduin gn eikhs who, were, present at the inaugural. ceremonies.at the
Hebrew University. The Mayor’s attitude,on this occasion was a subject
of adverse comment and protest among Arab nationalist circles in
Palestine.”! ;
The Mayor's defiance ‘of the «generally obseryed »instructions to
The Lull: 1923-1929 135
' boycgtt Lord Balfour did not, prima facie, aggravate the antagonisms
between the Executive Committee and.the National Party. When the
new Colonial Secretary, LS. Amery, visited Palestine, he received
a Palestinian Arab.,,deputation which,,. comprised representatives
of the Executive Committee, the National Party and the
Peasants’ Party. After introducing the members of the deputation,
% Musa Kazem requested the Colonial Secretary to allow the President of
the National Party to speak on their behalf. The central theme of
% Sheikh Suleiman al-Taji al-Farouki’s speech was the willingness of the
% Palestinians to gooperate loyally with the British on the basis of friend-
ship and mutual, interest.?” Arab hopes and, aspirations, Farouki
stréssed, were not incompatible with Britjsh interests, but were in fact
the sine qua non of the achievement of.British interests and influence in
the area.
Eventually, Farouki predicted, Britain would reach the conclusion that
the Zionist policy is ‘inapplicable’: He then went into the specific
Palestinian Arab grievances such as excessive taxation, which to, some
Arabs seemed to be a deliberate measure calculated to force the inhabi-
tants to sell. their lands and leave the country, lack of, participation in
the ‘legislative process, and being, forced by the Government to build
roads leading to Jewish colonies in the interests of Jewish colonisation.
He concluded by reiterating the demand for a National Government
‘tepresentative of all elements in. the country and responsjble to the
inhabitants. . .as the Mandate provides that the civil rights of the people
of the country be safeguarded’,”®
Signs of Weakness
The Executive Committee’s unprecedented acquiescence in,allowing a
member of a rival party to speak on behalf of all the Palestinians on an
important official occasion was indicative .of their weakened position
and thus their desire to cover that weakness by a semblance of national
unity before the public and the Government. When Field “Marshal , Lord
Plumer of Messina came to Palestine to take over as High Commissioner
from Samuel, the Palestinian political.mood was totally different from
that which prevailed i in the summer of 1920:
The variqus Arab parties would like to present to the new High
Commissioner a united but friendly front, and appear to be
convinced that the time for a purely negative policy is over.”
This more conciliatory approach to Government was reinforced, by
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تاريخ

1978

المنشئ

Abdul-Wahhab Kayyali

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